Boat and febry-bridge



WILLIAM W. VIRDIN, OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

BOAT AND FERRY-BRIDGE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 32,846, dated July 16, 1861.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, `IILLIAia IV. VIRDIN, of the city of Baltimore andState of Maryland, have invented a new and improved apron or span forthe transfer of railroadcars, locomotives, or any wheeled carriages orheavy freights upon and from steamboats, sailvessels, ferry-boats, orlighters.

The nature of my invention consists in the method hereinafter describedof arranging a weighted lever in connection withan ad justable apron orspan extending from an abutment or wharf to the boat, which whenrequired for railwa purposes, carries a railway track, or trac s,corresponding to the track or tracks upon the wharf and similar track ortracks upon the boat, this track being dispensed with when it -is onlyrequired forv the purpose of light carriages, heavy freights, &c. Oneend of the apron or span rests upon an abutment or wharf and is fittedto it by a socket or other joint.' The other end is supported above andout of the reach of thel boat by two weighted levers framed together andeach resting for its fulcrum upon a column or post. When the 4boatreaches its berth, the weighted levers allow they apron or span to drop,and rest upon the end of the boat and thus a continuous roadway orrailway track is formed from the main land to and upon the boat.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, Idescribe it as follows:

The following letters refer to corresponding parts upon the accompanyingdrawing:

A the apron or span of iron, or timber and iron. artwo or more rails,carried upon theapron. a the movablev joint connection, at the wharf orland end. B B the levers beneath the apron. b b the short arms oflevers. o b the long arms which are weighted. 0 c the friction wheels orrollers. d d the shoe and iron shield. D D two posts, or columns, uponwhich rest the levers. E E the ends of columns to form the fulcrum. Fthe boat with corresponding rails.

O the movable bolt or bar. 0 the crotched bolt and nut; o the outer tieof the switch, with slot opening. 0 the switch lever. P pier or wharf. prail road track on pier or wharf and a portion of apron or span. p pironsfor fulcrum of levers.

I build the apron or span of iron or heavy timber `and iron, stayed andsupported with due regard to the tonnage Yto be carried.

When used or required for railway purposes this apron or span carriestwo or more rails corresponding in all respects to the track or tracksupon the main land or wharf and that also upon the boat. These rails arefirm, part of the distance and'movable at the extreme end for thepurpose of adjusting the water or outer end of the rail with that on theboat and thus adapting it to any lateral variations of the boat orvessel.

The connection with the main track at the wharf or land end, may be madewith any movable joint. I prefer the joints shown in the drawing, asocket joint for the reason that it carries its own weight. The levers Iframe' together, that they may not be. thrown out of Vplace by thelisting of the boat or vessel when in use. The levers are placed beneaththe apron-the short arm of each lever pressing against the under side ofthe outer or water end of the apron or span and the long arm of thelever is weighted to balance the weight of the outer end of the apron orspan. To modify the friction between the arm of the lever and the apronI place upon the short arm of the .lever and upon its upper edge afriction wheel or roller and a shoe with an iron shield upon theunderside of the outer or water end of the apron for the friction wheelor rollers to work against. To secure the required fulcrum I use twoposts or columns of proper strength and of suflicient thickness to allowthe lever to rest upon the outer part of each; the inner part of eachpost or column extending above and retaining the lever in its properplace as to any lateral movement. cap the outer part of the column orpost with iron with a groove or depression in the center which receivesa tongue or projection upon an iron plate fastened to the under side ofthe lever and retains the lever in its proper place. A single leverworking in the middle of the outer end of apron on a post or column asabove described will accomplish the same purpose; but the two leversframed and working together will be found to carry the apron steadierand easier.

Vhere from any circumstances I cannot secure the required space for theplay of the levers under the apron or span, I make a side attachment Ipass across the under side of outer or water end of the apron or spantwo beams parallel to each other and at right angles to the apronextending the required length each side of the apron or span. Upon theunder side at each end of these beams and across theni I fasten the shoewith iron shield before described. The post or column to form thefulcruni I place at each side of the apron at such a distance from itand so elevated as to carry the weighted levers without interfering withthat which is to pass on or over the apron. Upon each of these posts orcolumns rests the levers for their 'ulcruni. The short arni of eachtakes hold of two parallel rods reaching from each side of the end ofthe short arm of the lever to, and passing below and each side of theshoe. These two parallel rods are connected by an iron bolt upon whichthere plays a friction wheel or roller; this friction wheel worksagainst the under side of the shoe. Upon the end of the boat I attach amovable bolt or bar to slide over the end of the apron and retain aconstant bearing of the apron upon the boat when in use. When the railsare laid I aiiix the movable bolts or bars to the onterside of the endof the rail on the boat when the apron rests upon the boat the bars orbolts sliding over the upper part of the apron or span not only hold theapron down upon the boat but act as a guide in adjusting the switch andthus secures at all times when needed a continuous track from the inainland to and upon the boat.

To work the switch, I use a crotched bolt with a round hole in each jawand a shoulder to set up against one of the inain cords. This bolt islet into and passes through one oi the niain cords of the apron at theproper distance from the end of the apron or span and is set up to thecord by means of a nut. I have a slot opening in one end of the outertie of the switch, projecting from the side of the rail some inchesaccording to the size ot' the cord and upon the saine side of the apronwith the crotch bolt I make the lever of flat iron with a round hole inone end which lits into the crotch of the lirstnanied bolt. This lever Ipass through a slot opening in the end of the switch tie and connect itto the crotch bolt by means of a small bolt and nut. The long arin ofthe lever projects solne four feet over the boat and by this the switchis worked in adjusting the rails on the apron or span with those on theboat.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent isl.A connection from the main land, pier or wharf with stearnboats or anyother ves sel by means of an adjustable apron or span.l with or withoutrailroad track or tracks and adjusting switch upon the saine in com`bination with fixed weighted lever or levers as counterpoisesubstantially as described in the specification.

The xed weighted lever or levers consti-acted and arranged as herein setforth when used with any movable connection troni the main land pier orwharf to and upon steainboats or any other vessel.

lV. WV. VIRDIN.

lllitn csses L. V. InEvos'r, E. R. SPRAGUE.

